Chapter 48: The Mirror’s Reflection

The chamber of the Celestial Mirror loomed before Shen Longwei like the heart of a storm—silent, yet brimming with unseen power. The moment he and his warriors stepped inside, torches flared to life along the walls, revealing an ornate dais at the chamber's center.

Upon it rested the Celestial Mirror. It was unlike any artifact he had seen before, its surface a swirling abyss of shifting colors, reflecting nothing yet holding the weight of eternity. The air was thick with an otherworldly energy.

Then, a voice, neither man nor spirit, resonated through the chamber.

"Only one who walks the path of balance may claim the mirror's wisdom."

From the darkness beyond the mirror's pedestal, an ethereal entity emerged—the Warden of Reflection. It bore no face, only a shifting, luminous mask that mirrored the emotions of those who gazed upon it.

Shen Longwei's lips curled in disdain. "Enough riddles. I am the rightful ruler of this land. The mirror is mine."

The warden's voice remained steady, unreadable. "You seek dominion, but the mirror does not serve conquest. It reflects truth."

Shen Longwei strode forward, unfazed. "Truth is what I decide it to be." He reached out to claim the mirror—

A shockwave of force erupted from its surface, sending him and his warriors staggering back. The mirror's surface rippled like disturbed water, distorting their reflections into monstrous, twisted versions of themselves.

The warden's voice darkened. "The unworthy shall face their own corruption."

Then the shadows moved.

Shen Longwei's warriors barely had time to react before their own reflections stepped from the mirror's surface, distorted versions of themselves—grotesque, violent, and feral. The twisted doubles launched into battle, striking with inhuman speed.

A warrior screamed as his mirror-self drove a blade into his chest. Another fought his double in a blur of steel, only to be disarmed and torn apart by his own darkened reflection.

Shen Longwei snarled. "Destroy it!"

His warriors attacked the mirror with everything they had—blades, fire, brute force. But the glass remained unscathed. Instead, each strike seemed to feed the dark energy in the chamber, making the reflections stronger.

The warden watched impassively. "The mirror does not break. It only reveals."

Then, as if summoned by fate itself, Li Feng arrived.

Li Feng stepped through the crumbling corridor just in time to see Shen Longwei struggling against his own reflection—a version of himself clad in blackened armor, his eyes hollow with power. The warlord's double struck, forcing him back.

But the moment Li Feng entered the chamber, the mirror stilled. Its swirling surface shifted, locking onto him.

A pulse of energy ran through his veins. The Coiled Dragon Ring burned against his skin. Then, the mirror reflected him—not as he was, but as he could be.

On one side, he saw himself cloaked in flames, his power absolute. Kingdoms bowed before him. He was a conqueror, a god of war. But his eyes held nothing—no warmth, no mercy.

On the other, he saw himself broken. His body scarred, his spirit shattered. His enemies had defeated him. Mei Lian, Zheng Wei—gone.

The mirror whispered. "Two paths. One destiny."

Li Feng clenched his fists. His heart pounded.

The warden turned its masked face toward him. "Choose, Li Feng. Will you wield the ring's full power, or will you resist its call?"

The choice was his.

And time was running out.